


A Simple Plan

by brodeurbunny30



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 12:02:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8890075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brodeurbunny30/pseuds/brodeurbunny30
Summary: Missing scene.Set days after Will is returned home from the hospital. Joyce is blindsided by a mysterious phone call and an unexpected turn of events.Joyce and Eleven are reunited.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [earnmysong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/earnmysong/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide, Earnmysong!
> 
> I hope you enjoy the little bit of fluff I was able to write for you with Joyce and Eleven. Their relationship is so very special despite not involving very much screen time. I hope I convey enough of their bond in this little fic for you. Your ideas of domestic Joyce spending time kinda doing mom things with Eleven really got me thinking.
> 
> Thank you for such a wonderful prompt!

It had started with a phone call.

“Joyce?” It was Hopper. Her heart began to hammer in her chest. Things had been eerily quiet since the incident with the monster and fighting to get Will back from the Upside Down. He’d only been back on his feet for about a day and a half, but already spending his evenings at the Wheelers’ playing board games. She reached for her half smoked cigarette sitting in the ash tray where she had dumped it to answer the phone. Joyce couldn’t help but feel like Hopper was about to drop some news on her. Paranoia was her constant companion now.

“What day are you off this week?”

She grimaced. What an odd question. Was she being taken in for questioning? She had been told everything with the lab and the FBI had been sorted. She stuttered. “I’m off for a few days, they gave me a bit of time off--cause of Will. Why? Why are you asking?” There was just silence on the other end. “Hop? Jim? Talk to me.”

“I’ll be by on Tuesday. Don’t tell anyone I’m coming.”

Then he hung up. She hung up the receiver and nervously puffed on her cigarette while her hand shook visibly.

 

***

Her hair was messy and her eyes bloodshot. She hadn’t slept and was still wearing the same clothes from the day before. There was a stack of empty cigarette packages. She glared at the clock in the living room from the couch where her weary body had passed out exhausted, still too early to start drinking.

There was a knock at the door. She sat up and stretched. This was it. The moment she had feared.

She opened the door to find Hopper standing there with a bouquet of flowers. Her face must have been hysterical in its confusion because Hop was grinning ear to ear and smiling. The paranoia kicked in and she scanned the street and the bushes and the parked cars for any sign of surveillance.

Joyce whispered. “Are you okay, Hop?” He reached for her and placed a soft kiss to her cheek. Her face flushed with the feeling of his beard tickling her skin. He whispered in her ear. “Can I come in?”

She nodded and guided him into her living room and she shut the door behind him. “Hop?” Her voice was trembling. “What’s going on?”  
He wasn’t smiling anymore. Just his usually straight faced mildly exhausted self. “I’m sorry Joyce, but I need you to trust me on this.” His eyes were pleading and although she was fearful, something told her after all they’d been through that she could do just that.

“It’s still possible that we are..” his voice dropped low just then and he mouthed “being watched.”

She nodded. If she was honest, she’d felt like even though the FBI had sorted out the issues with the lab that they shouldn’t let down their guard. Someone was always watching. She was sure of it. It was oddly comforting to know that there was some legitimacy to her stress and anxiety.

“I have something I want to show you,” he whispered, his lips curling up in a small smile. “I think it’ll make you happy.”

She felt herself smiling. “Okay, I’m okay with that.” She lifted an eyebrow. “What’s with the flowers though?” 

He must have forgot he was holding them and looked at them and grinned stupidly. “I almost forgot. How’s your acting skills?”

 

***

Acting like lovers brought together by the strain of their dire circumstances was his idea, the use of breath mints was hers. Still, his kiss was soft and timid for such a grizzly of a man. She caught herself smiling as he took her hand and led her to a big truck. He must have sold his other one. This one was new.

He helped her into the passenger seat, and refused to say a word until they were both seated.

Hopper sighed. “Thank you, Joyce.”

Her heart was beating a little faster as they drove out of the quiet neighborhood. They were going to the city. That’s all he had said. 

“Sorry about the cover, the kissing…” his voice was trailing off and he blushed and cleared his throat.

She would have laughed, but there was nothing she wanted less than to hurt this man’s feelings.

There was a rumbling in the back of the cab, and a body was emerging from a pile of clothes.

“El!” She found herself simultaneously crying and shrieking. This wonderful little girl who had so selflessly helped her son, her family...was here, alive and well.  
She turned and gripped Eleven’s shoulders, taking in her face, her eyes. “I am so so so happy to see you.” Eleven’s eyes were as wide as ever. It was doubtful that she’d even find the words to express what she wanted to say so instead Joyce cupped her face, stroking her cheek with her thumb. “Thank you. For everything.”

Eleven smiled and nodded. “The kissing was my idea.”

Joyce’s jaw fell open and hung there for a full minute before she started to laugh. “You!” and she pinched her cheek. Hopper was full on blushing now and it made her laugh harder.

It was strange but in a weird way El felt like a child after her own heart. It was one thing to mother a son, but the mother-daughter experience was something she had always secretly hoped to one day have. Eleven never had the experience herself and together it was something that came effortlessly between them. 

“So let me guess, was this little angel my surprise?”

Hop nodded. “Yeah, I can’t go into detail but I’ve worked something out. I got a room at a motel on the outskirts of town. I’m going to rent it for as long as I can. I wanted somewhere for Eleven to stay and be safe. Figured this way we could spend some time with her, make sure she’s eating something OTHER than waffles.” He grinned and gave a knowing look to El who looked sheepish. 

Joyce was grinning from ear to ear. She couldn’t help it. She was going to spend time with El. Maybe they could catch some silly shows on tv, or do whatever little girls were into nowadays. Come to think of it, she had no clue as to what little girls were into nowadays, the side effect of only having boys.

Hopper caught her thinking. “You probably got a lot of ideas, but you guys won’t be able to go anywhere. I can take you guys grocery shopping and pick stuff up for you, but you’ll have to stay in the room. I figured of all people to help El out, you would be best. You guys seem to have a pretty good bond and I didn’t want her to be alone all the time. I thought that maybe I could bring you down on your days off when the boys are at school.” He jerked a thumb pointedly at the back of the cab. “Plus El asked for you.” 

Joyce looked back at El who nodded shyly. Her heart stopped in her throat and she reached back to take El by the hand, gripping it tightly. “I’ll do anything I can for you.” It was a promise.

There were tears just then. Big, globby, happy tears dripping down her face, smearing the meagre remains of her mascara. “You know, maybe we could make cookies, or watch some fun movies?” Her voice was cracking, but Eleven lit up excitedly.

“I like cookies.”

She laughed and turned to Hop who reached over and patted her on the knee reassuringly. 

It wasn’t perfect. Nothing ever was but whatever time she’d have with this wonderful little girl, she’d take it. Eleven deserved that much, and more; so much more.

She wiped away the tears and watched the houses drift by. Everything was just a blur now, a big happy blur.


End file.
